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World Cup 2014 Travel Advice

With the World Cup 2014 just one week away, we wanted to share some handy tips for any football fans planning to visit Brazil this summer.

Vaccinations

If you’re planning to visit Brazil, you should have visited your GP to have at least some of the following injections and booster shots; Yellow Fever, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Typhoid. This should have been done at least 8 weeks ago, to give the vaccines a chance to kick in. If you haven’t had these vaccinations, you could be at serious risk of contracting an illness during your trip.

Passports

To enter Brazil, your passport must have at least 6 months validity left – if your passport expires in the next 6 months or less, it may be worth trying to get an emergency replacement or risk being denied entry.

You may be required to show identification at any time to the police in Brazil, however authorities will usually accept driving licences and photocopies of passports, to avoid you carrying the actual document and risking its theft or loss.

Dangers

Potential dangers to be aware of include;

– Water – tap water is not safe to drink in Brazil, so only bottled or purified tap water should be consumed. The weather in Brazil can be rather hot, so ensure you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.

– Animals – try to avoid dogs (domestic or wild), bats and monkeys as they could be carrying rabies. Also be aware of the risk from snakes and sea animals e.g. jellyfish, if bitten or stung seek immediate medical attention.

– Personal Safety – only ever use licensed cabs from recognised taxi ranks; do not get into random cars waiting on the street. If someone attempts to threaten you and steal your possessions, be ready to hand over valuables and do not attempt to resist the attackers as they may be armed. Know the number to contact emergency services, just in case.

Medical Treatment

Just in case you do need to seek medical attention, be aware that public hospitals will treat emergencies free of charge, but will not treat any pre-existing illness or keep you in once the initial emergency is over.

Usually when patients are well enough they will be discharged home for relatives to care for them, however this is not an option for tourists who may not yet be fit to fly home. Therefore, there is little nursing care available in public hospitals and food is not automatically provided or free, as all these aspects of patient care are considered to be the responsibility of the patient’s relatives.

Visit Holidaysafe for more information on how to avoid a world cup disaster this summer.